Judge rules prison's treatment of pair of inmates cruel and inhumane
Auckland Women's Prison treated a pair of inmates in a degrading, cruel and inhumane manner in a "concerted effort to break their spirit," according to a stinging ruling from a district court judge. The ruling, from Manukau District Court Judge David McNaughton, says Corrections broke its own regulations multiple times in its treatment of Mihi Bassett and Karma Cripps, who were gassed in their cells and forced to perform a humiliating ritual just to be fed. The women had to remove their underwear in front of male guards in order to get clean pairs and were, at times, denied toiletries and sanitary products. Guyon Espiner broke this story last year and speaks to Corin Dann.